[ICANN-EU] Re: [icann-candidates] Re: [ga] bodacious-tata[s].NET

[Joop Teernstra <terastra@terabytz.co.nz>]

At 05:07 3/09/00 +0200, Marc Schneiders wrote:

>
>I can be fast, yes, let us keep that possibility open for new domains :-))
>

Marc,

I'm afraid you are uncomfortably close to the mark here. You are still free
to quickly get that name. For Now.

The TATA case seems to be a typical instance of "DN-policing" in the guise
of  a  TM dilution case. 
Interesting is the "non-US famous name" aspect of the case. 

If we look further out to the future, we can expect two broad attitudes
(constituencies?) to emerge, those who will want to expand the URDP into
more wide-ranging DN policing and those, like yourself,  who will want to
protect freedom of speech in DN registration.

As more and more registrants will use the full potential of "speech" in a
64 alphanumeric string, more and more names will emerge that will be
considered hate speech, obscene speech, political speech and other forms of
addressing that many powers-that-be (and ordinary citizens) across
different languages and cultures will want banned.  

Indeed, different cultures and language groups will want to be able to
control their own policing.
How about hitler_hatteRecht.com, weloveAnwar_ibrahim.com   or DN that
insult political leaders or religious sensitivities in languages other than
English?

When more restrictively oriented cultures realize that  blocking  access to
such sites doesn't work, they will demand their own policing rights, to
"take down" such domains under the ICANN flag. 

When regionally elected directors will be questioned on their stance on
Freedom of Speech, we are going to see some surprises.

Whatever Europeans  may have against North Americans dominating the current
ICANN process, on Free Speech issues the "regional representativeness"
structure of ICANN is going to have a decidedly  unAmerican effect.





--Joop Teernstra LL.M.--  
the Cyberspace Association and 
the constituency for Individual Domain Name Owners
http://www.idno.org